Downtown Ace Hardware store reopens under family ownership

Randy Yoder needed a new garden pruner and twisty ties.

Yoder, a certified business coach, said he waited to purchase those items until he could walk from his Water Street South office across the street to buy them at the reopened Northfield Ace Hardware store.

On Monday morning, Yoder was the first customer inside the sparkling clean River Park Mall store.

Yoder said he was glad to patronize a reset business that will be locally run by the Donahue family of Faribault.

Closed since Dec. 30, the hardware store opened Monday to great fanfare: a Northfield Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting, with Chamber ambassadors, local business leaders and community well-wishers in attendance.

With clean floors, fresh paint, new wooden signage and significantly more inventory, the hardware store owners and employees said they were eager to greet their customers.

“We’ve been hoping to find a location in Northfield for awhile,” said Joe Donahue, who owns the store with his wife Kathryn. Donahue said they bought the fixtures and equipment from the previous owner, Dave Neiman.

Donahue said Neiman, who is easing into retirement in Florida, had owned the Arrow Ace Northfield location for over 20 years. A Going-Out-Of-Business sale held in December was not an indication that the downtown hardware store wasn’t profitable, it was simply a sign that the ownership was in transition.

With the store closed for three months, the Donahues started work on a transformation that would feature all new inventory.

“We took it all out and started from scratch,” said Joe. “It took us an entire month to clean the space.”

By purchasing all new inventory, Donahue said they are able to showcase the latest models in grills, power tools and lawn and garden equipment.

With some new technology, general manager Jon Listul said he hopes the store can become a destination for customers who want the latest in grills, paint and lawn and garden.

“We can color match paint, we can make copies of car key fobs, we can repair screens, cut plexiglass and we can deliver and assemble new grills,” said Listul.

Listul, who is originally from North Dakota, said he’s excited to be in Northfield. “We’re about 95% ready to be open,” he said. “We’re just waiting on a few venders to catch up.”

For 22 years, Faribault Ace Hardware customers have come to know the Donahues. With Monday’s reopening of the Northfield Ace Hardware, locals will have the opportunity to meet the family behind the sign.

Besides owners Joe and Kathryn, daughter Meagan will work as inventory manager and her fiance Jon Listul will be the general manager. Meagan and Jon, who met as students at Gustavus Adolphus University and graduated in 2022 and plan to wed next year.

The Faribault building, located at 421 2nd Avenue Northwest, originally opened November 12th, 1980 as Fillipi Hardware.

On Oct. 4, 2002 the Donahues purchased the business and changed the name to Faribault Ace Hardware. In 2005, the Donahues expanded the store to provide a greater selection of products. They also own the Owatonna Ace Hardware store which Kathryn said they hope to open on April 8.

“We try to help every single customer personally, whether it’s answering their questions or finding their product,” she said. “People really like Ace as a company. They trust the name and the brands we sell.”

At the front of the store, checkers David Skalski and John Lura stood waiting for customers. Skalski has worked at the Ace Hardware store for four years, while Lura said he was excited to start his second day of work there.

At the paint and key desk, Meagan was helping Dean Treangen of Dennison make a copy of a key for a lock box.

“I come into Ace every once and awhile,” said Treangen. “They usually have what you need and they’re more personable than the big box stores.”